28 posts from month 09/2017

As someone who struggled with severe addiction for over ten years, I had my share of failures, relapses and moments where I thought it was worthless to keep on fighting. You might feel the same way right now, and I am here to tell you that there is a way out, not matter what. I hope this video helps you see just that.

Countless, the number of times I was strongly determined to stay sober, and countless were the number of times I failed. There were instances where I couldn’t go a week without relapsing; sometimes I couldn’t even go an entire day. But the times that hurt the most were the ones when I had managed to stay clean for several months, and in a moment of careless weakness I had managed to screw it all up.
Addiction is an incredibly powerful force with a very strong grip, and once it has a hold of you it will refuse to let go. There will be times when all your failures and relapses are going to make you consider giving up, letting the choppy waters of addiction take you out to open sea, and, in due time, drown you. But in the midst of all the turmoil, I assure you, there is hope. Here are a few pointers that helped me stay afloat.
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Sept. 26, 2017 | A University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) research scientist has been awarded a $409,750 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to lead a study investigating ways the brain develops resilience to mental illnesses like addiction.
Andrew James, Ph.D., an associate professor in the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry, is the principal investigator in the two-year study, which will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine ...

A few days back in my social media accounts I asked my friends and followers if they thought that marijuana could prove to be a useful too in the treatment of mental illness. The opinions were mixed, but the majority of people agreed that marijuana can definitely have a positive impact on mental health. Here is another article that backs up that claim. Take a look and please let me know your thoughts on this matter.
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Given the rise in overdoses and the opioid epidemic, CVS is stepping to the plate and creating new measures to reduce the amount of opioids they put in the hands of the general public. Read the entire article here and let us know, do you think this will have a positive impact?

Us mental illness sufferers usually spend a very long time battling this monster in the shadows, quietly, sometimes without the understanding of even those closest to us. We do this because the stigma of mental illness still falls thick throughout society, and the fear is wedged in our hearts, deep. As the years pass, we become convinced that any type of recovery is simply not an option; this is the way life is going to be for us until the grave calls our names. We then resign to an existence of pain, futility and worst of all, hopelessness. But, does it have to be that way?
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From Courthouse News:
WASHINGTON (CN) — Deaths from opioid overdoses tripled in the 15 years from 2000 to 2015, according to a study published Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control.
Opioids are natural painkillers, such as morphine and heroin, and prescription drugs such as Oxycontin, oxycodone, hydrocodone and Fentanyl, which function as synthetic opiates.
Read Entire Article Here

This article from NAMI states the several ways you can help someone going through a mental illness crisis. You have to be able to understand and identify several things, then jump into action. Read Entire Article Here.

The new implications and combinations of symptoms that are implicit of depression has some mental health professionals referring to it as a disease, and they believe that categorizing it as one could help in getting those that suffer from it the right help. Read the entire article here from US News and World Report and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.